Category Archives: TractionLife

The Honda Accord got a dramatic makeover for 2018 that also included a pair of turbocharged engine options. I spent a week driving a top-of-the-line Touring model with the 252-hp 2.0L engine and 10-speed transmission and came away impressed with the car’s performance and roomy interior. However, I’d like this car even more without its push-button transmission controls.

I’ve always liked hatchbacks for their practicality. If you like them too but don’t want people to know you’re driving one, the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe hides its handy hatchback-ness under a slick body that looks more like a sedan.

The Mazda6 mid-size sedan doesn’t get as much attention as competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, so Mazda has rolled out a new Signature trim and bolted its 2.5L turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood in a bid to turn more heads in the family car crowd. Read my full review at TractionLife.com.

It’s a rarity in the car business for a daring design to work out, and win favour among buyers. The sport compact segment is one of few where a whacky-looking car will succeed, and that’s why the Hyundai Veloster just… works. Read my review at TractionLife.com.

It’s normally easy to like a Volkswagen. They build great small cars, spacious family cars, and the Touareg mid-size crossover is a fantastic vehicle hampered only by a high price and VW’s upscale aspirations. Maybe it’s those same high hopes that left me disappointed in the company’s Tiguan compact crossover. Read my full review at TractionLife.com.

Consider it fair to say Kia has benefited from the experience of its parent company. Hyundai’s first luxury cars were nice, but not quite good enough to be take seriously, in spite of attractive prices. That’s changed, and now Kia has made its own move in luxury sedan territory with the K900, a good-looking, well-conceived sedan that is a slam-dunk in terms of what you get for the price. Read my full review at TractionLife.com.